BEMIDJI — Justin Klander has joined the BSU Foundation as a major gifts officer based in the Twin Cities. The 2001 BSU business administration graduate will work to re-engage the nearly 12,000 alumni who live and work in the Minneapolis St. Paul area. Klander also is board vice president of the BSU Alumni Association.

“While attending BSU, I was fortunate to serve as the student representative on the foundation. That experience left me with an appreciation for the generosity of our alumni and inspired me to give back.” Klander said in a press release.

Before joining BSU, Klander served as executive director of the Minnesota State College Student Association for nine years. He advocated the state and federal legislatures to ensure accessible, quality, and affordable public higher education for more than 100,000 students. During his tenure, the MSCSA scholarship program endowment grew from $30,000 to more than $350,000, and provided over 100,000 in scholarship awards.

The former BSU Student Senate president also holds a master’s degree in management from the College of St. Scholastica.